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Knight Watch: London hasn’t lost in regulation in seven games; Sam O’Reilly named captain; Several Knights nods on NHL Central Scouting list; London welcomes Ottawa from East.
The London Knights split a pair of contests against the Kitchener Rangers last weekend, picking up three of a possible four points. It was a good showing against a team that’s currently No. 8 in the CHL Top Ten Rankings.
Sunday’s overtime loss snapped a streak of five straight wins for the Knights. It also marked the sixth game this season that has required overtime to be settled. None of those games have needed a shootout.
The Knights announced their leadership group for the upcoming season this week, led by captain Sam O’Reilly.
“It’s a privilege and an honour to be named captain of the London Knights. I hope to continue the tradition of great leaders that have worn the C in London, as it comes with a big responsibility,” O’Reilly said in a release. “I’m humbled by the opportunity and ready to lead my teammates as we work toward another winning season.”
O’Reilly is the 54th captain in team history. He’ll be joined in a leadership group by Los Angeles Kings prospects Jared Woolley and Henry Brzustewicz, who were announced as alternate captains. Both have made their presence felt since returning to the Knights. Brzustewicz has four goals in his last four games, while Woolley has points in three straight.
The Knights’ special teams are improving by the week, as the penalty kill is now the second best in the OHL at 88.6 per cent. Their powerplay, meanwhile, has climbed to fifth best at 24.2 per cent.
London has six players listed on Central Scouting’s preliminary list ahead of next spring’s NHL Draft: Jaxon Cover and Maksim Sokolovski were listed as ‘B’ and ‘C’ prospects, respectively, while Cohen Bidgood, Logan Hawery, Ben Wilmott and Cody Wood were listed as ‘W’ skaters. A ‘B’ rating indicates a second or third round candidate, a ‘C’ rating a fourth or fifth round candidate, and a ‘W’ rating suggests a possible selection in the sixth or seventh rounds.
UPCOMING GAMEDAYS
Friday (Oct. 24, 7:00pm) vs. Ottawa 67’s (7-4-0-0, 4th in Eastern Conference)
After winning seven of their first eight games this season, the 67’s have now lost three straight, scoring only three goals in those losses. Thomas Vandenberg leads the team in scoring with six goals and 12 points, and he’s among the OHL rookie leaders. Kohyn Eshkawkogan is another draft eligible player to watch out for. The defenceman has nine points on the young season. The 67’s have two NHL picks on their roster. Cooper Foster (Pittbsburgh) has seven goals through 11 games, and Swedish import Filip Ekberg (Carolina) has a pair of points through his first six games in the league. Ottawa has been able to rely on both of their goalies in the earlier going, and Jaeden Nelson and Ryder Fetterolf are both among the league leaders in several goaltending categories.
Sunday (Oct. 26, 2:05pm) at Sarnia Sting (4-4-2-0, 7th in Western Conference)
The Knights beat Sarnia in overtime just two weeks ago. That came during a stretch in which Sarnia lost four of five games. But the Sting recently beat the top team in the OHL to get back in the win column, and they’re now looking for redemption against their 402 rivals. Patrick Quinlan had a 42-save performance over Windsor last Saturday, helping him earn OHL Goaltender of the Week honours. Parkhill’s Jordan Bax is coming off the first multi-point game of his career. He notched a goal and two assists in the win over Windsor.
KNIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS
6 – Through their first 10 games this season, London has played in a league-high six overtime games. They’ve won three and lost three of those contests. Their other two victories were not nearly as close, with 6-1 defeats over both Kitchener and Erie.
1 – Kaeden Hawkins and Julien Brown each scored their first OHL goals last weekend, while Max Crete scored his first as a Knight.
A LOOK AT THE LOCALS
– Owen Sound’s Noah Nelson scored a pair of goals against Guelph on Friday night. The overage forward has four goals and six points over his last six games.
– After missing the start of the season with an injury, Aiden Young had six assists through his first three games with the Peterborough Petes.
– A pair of locals had multi-point efforts in North Bay Thursday night. Parker Vaughan, from nearby St. Thomas, recorded his first two-goal game in the OHL, including the overtime winner. Brennan Faulkner chipped in with a goal and an assist for the Petes.
AROUND THE OHL
– The league has announced the appointment of James Boyd as Vice President of Hockey Operations for the OHL. Boyd steps down from his current role as General Manager of the Ottawa 67’s.
– The OHL Priority Selection will look a little different in 2026. Multiple reports suggest the league will be hosting a live draft in Kingston. The draft will also be moved to June. It traditionally takes place during the first round of the playoffs, shortly after the conclusion of the regular season.
